An Alcohol Dependent Individual Registers For Rehab, Gets Alcohol Detox and Treatment for His Alcoholism and His Depression, and Begins to Live More Exuberantly

Barry used to talk big to his drinking friends how he could remain employed at a demanding and fulltime job and get inebriated almost every night. Sadly, after involving himself in this destructive lifestyle for about four-and-a-half years, he began to display a variety of alcohol related problems.

Barry Begins to Display Different Alcohol Related Problems

For example, he had a real difficult time getting up for work because he felt so exhausted when he got up. Moreover, most mornings Barry experienced an appalling hangover. In short, the combination of his lack of get-up-and-go and his hangovers did not make it easy for him to get up and feel inspired to go to work. To add fuel to the fire, roughly a week ago he got his third driving under the influence citation in the past eight weeks.

To compound things further, at his place of employment his last two work appraisals were not up to his usual high standards. And lastly, his three-year relationship with his girlfriend had declined due to his lack of patience, angry outbursts, depression, and his financial difficulties.

Though Barry was only twenty-nine years old, he honestly began looking like he was in his late thirties. Regrettably, this is what excessive and unhealthy drinking can do to a person. And in truth he understood that he was experiencing the adverse consequences of alcohol abuse or alcoholism and that he was too young to waste his life on careless and irresponsible drinking. So at first he tried to drink in moderation. Regrettably, he soon found out that he lost all control after ingesting his first drink. More to the point, after his first drink he invariably proceeded to get drunk. Since this was an event that was repeated every time he went out to drink, this greatly disturbed him. In truth, he started to wonder if he was manifesting some of the signs of alcoholism and alcohol abuse.

Barry Decides Schedule an Appointment to See His Physician

After discussing his excessive alcohol drinking and his careless and excessive drinking with his girlfriend, he eventually made up his mind to schedule an appointment to see his physician. When Barry saw his healthcare professional, he openly declared that he has been drinking in an abusive manner, that he may be manifesting alcoholic signs, and that he wants to abstain from drinking. He said that drinking in moderation doesn’t seem to work for him and, as a consequence, he wants to learn how he can develop an alcohol-free lifestyle.

Barry also told his physician about his depression and how this mental health issue was adversely affecting his relationship with his lady friend. His healthcare professional referred Barry to Doctor Dutton, a drug and alcohol addiction psychiatrist, who convinced Barry to enroll in a drug and alcohol rehab center as an in-patient for alcohol detox and alcohol rehabilitation. Fortunately, Barry would also be able to get treatment for his depression at this treatment clinic.

Quitting Drinking Was the Best Decision Barry Had Ever Made

After four months of intensive rehab, Barry left the residential rehab clinic and continued his recovery via going to local Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and via outpatient therapy. Encouraged to change his life in a more positive way, Barry bought some vitamins at a health store and a cookbook. He then joined a gym and began working out three or four times per week. Within six months Barry was a new man. He wasn’t depressed anymore, he was in shape, he was eating nutritious meals, he now looked younger than he was, and most important of all, he maintained his sobriety for many months. He also didn’t resort to angry outbursts, he became more patient, and he became a more loving individual in his relationship with his lady friend. In a word, quitting drinking was the best decision Barry had ever made.

The Vicious Cycle of Excessive Work and Irresponsible and Abusive Drinking and The Requirement For Alcohol Rehabilitation

Work was starting to be too hectic for a young police officer named Gary. Although he had only been on the police force for four-and-a-half years, he was already known as a hard worker who rarely declined working overtime. Actually, he was now working ten to fifteen hours of overtime each week and, consequently, he felt like he was losing his handle on his personal life. What made the situation more complex, however, was the fact that Gary began going out drinking with a bunch of his fellow officers after his shift was over.

What Began as a Good Time Soon Became Careless and Hazardous Drinking

What began as fun with the guys very soon turned into abusive and irresponsible drinking and then into a negative cycle of feeling tired each morning when he awakened for work, working more long hours, and then going drinking with his pals after work.

Plainly Gary was in a psychological and health-related rut and going through some adverse alcohol effects on the body. Where Gary really noticed alcohol related issues and alcohol short term effects, conversely, was in his marriage and in his family life. His wife wasn’t really a complainer, but she commonly encouraged him to stay at home more with her and with the children instead of going out and wasting money while drinking with his buddies.

Gary’s Abusive and Excessive Drinking Adversely Affects His Personality

In a similar way, Gary’s hazardous drinking also negatively affected his personality. More precisely, the more he drank, the less patience he had with any problems or issues that came up regarding his children or his wife.

It Was Obvious to Gary That His Abusive and Careless Drinking Was Adversely Affecting His Health, Work, Relationship With His Family, and His Pocketbook

In his heart of hearts, it was obvious to Gary that his excessive and careless drinking was adversely affecting his health, work, relationship with his family, and his pocketbook. So one Wednesday afternoon Gary came to a decision to talk to Jerry, a trusted old police officer buddy that he greatly admired.

Gary mentioned to Jerry how excessive and abusive drinking was adversely affecting his work, pocketbook, relationship with his family, and his health. Jerry told Gary that he totally understood because just around twelve years ago, he too became involved with irresponsible and excessive drinking. Indeed, Jerry mentioned to Gary that excessive and hazardous drinking can cause so many difficulties in an individual’s life that just about everything of significance can be ruined. And lastly, Jerry suggested that Gary make an appointment with an alcohol counselor at the work-affiliated alcohol treatment center.

Since his employee’s assistance program was affiliated with this treatment clinic, it was not only quite affordable but also very convenient to get some quality counseling about his careless and abusive drinking. And since the personnel at the chemical dependency rehab clinic was non-judgmental, competent, and supportive, Gary would be able to get alcohol rehabilitation that was doable and something he could follow through on.

After talking to his counselor about how his drinking was ruining his pocketbook, relationship with his family, work, and his health, Gary understood that he was burning the candle at both ends with his crazy work hours and his careless and hazardous drinking. Once he grasped the fact that he was digging himself into a rut, with the help of his doctor, and after six months weeks in rehabilitation, he was at long last able to stop drinking and quit working overtime.

Due to His Alcohol Therapy Gary Felt More Healthy and Had Much More Energy

The result was that Gary saw life another way now that he was in alcohol recovery. More precisely, due to his alcohol rehabilitation he not only noticed that he actually had more money now even though he was working far fewer hours each week, but he was more patient when interacting with his wife and his children, he felt better and more healthy, and he had more quality time to spend with his family. As luck would have it, now that he stopped drinking, Gary and his wife were not only beginning to save some money for a different house but he also felt more energized and alert than anytime since he and his wife were married.

A Woman Manifest Signs of Depression and Alcohol Abuse and Schedules an Appointment to See Her Physician About Her Hazardous and Excessive Drinking and Mental Health Difficulties

Teresa was a forty-one-year-old graphic designer who knew that she had some problems with her drinking. For instance, within the past six months she has felt the need to have two or three drinks before going to work, seven weeks ago she failed a random breathalyzer test where she works, six weeks ago she got pulled over by the police for a DUI, and lastly, for nearly two months she has started to forget what she says and does when she goes out drinking.

Similar to multitudes of other drinkers, Teresa’s involvement with alcohol started out at a “snail’s pace” and stayed at this pace for quite a long period of time because at times she engaged in sporadic social drinking. In point of fact, for about ten months, every time she went out with her coworkers to drink, she made sure to drink responsibly. Something about her drinking, however, seemed to completely change when her husband divorced her.

In Order To Get Beyond the Divorce of Her Husband With Less Grief, Teresa Made Up Her Mind That She Will Begin Going Out More Frequently With Some of Her Pals Who Love to Whoop it Up and Drink

Teresa got dreadfully down in the dumps about the divorce from her husband, and as a way to refrain from fixating on her dismal feelings she arrived at a decision that she would begin hanging out more frequently with some of her buddies who love to party.

Quite frankly, Teresa concluded that having fun almost every day by partying and drinking with her friends would help her come to terms with the divorce of her husband more quickly.

Teresa’s Drinking Increases Significantly the More Often She Goes to Private Parties, Dinner Dates, Happy Hours, Sporting Events, and Family Get-Togethers With Her Buddies

It didn’t take long, nevertheless, before her drinking increased to a significant degree the more frequently she went to and drank at happy hours, private parties, sporting events, family get-togethers, and dinner dates with her friends. In addition, the fact that her drinking pals were all quite a bit younger than she was and therefore able to drink and party more frequently and harder was one of the reasons that she didn’t concentrate more on her increased drinking. To put it briefly, she was having a great time drinking just like everyone else in her group of buddies without much reflection about the negative results of her hazardous and irresponsible drinking.

Yet somewhere in her mind she realized that she more likely than not required alcohol rehabilitation but sidestepped the thought as much as humanly possible.

Teresa Gets a Physical Exam, Discloses the Truth About Her Hazardous and Abusive Drinking to Her Healthcare Practitioner, and ”Comes Clean” About Her Sadness

One morning during her annual physical exam, her physician asked her if she drank alcohol. Not wanting to tell “stories” to her healthcare professional, Teresa owned up to the truth that she commonly drinks more than she should. In reality, she stated that she regularly drinks in a hazardous and excessive manner. Then Teresa told her doctor about her depression. More to the point, she articulated that ruined relationships many times initiated a negative sequence of events typified by increased drinking which further resulted in more dismal feelings that, in turn, resulted in more drinking. And this is specifically what happened when her husband and she got divorced five years ago.

When her healthcare professional heard this, he told Teresa that according to various alcoholism facts and statistics on alcoholism he was reviewing, alcoholism and depression many times take place in the same individual. He then informed Teresa that some of the alcohol statistics, research investigations, and facts he has been reading about also underline the fact that individuals who drink in an abusive and hazardous manner and who also experience depression need to receive treatment for both medical conditions.

Teresa’s Healthcare Professional Schedules an Appointment for a Psychological Appraisal and For an Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse Evaluation

Teresa’s healthcare practitioner then said the following: “I am not trying to make a sudden analysis, but with your medical situation we may be confronting two separate concerns. As a result, I think we probably should schedule an appointment for you to get an alcoholism and alcohol abuse evaluation from my partner, Dr. Jacobs, who is an alcoholism and alcohol abuse specialist. Whether your drinking situation is more linked to alcohol addiction or alcohol abuse is unclear, but I feel that further assessment is needed. Then I feel we probably should make an appointment for you to get a psychological exam from another one of my partners, Dr. Dubas, who is a psychologist. I want to get a better handle on your depression and see how much your depression and drinking are interlinked.” Teresa expressed her satisfaction with her healthcare practitioner’s “game plan” and thanked him for his assistance. Now all she had to do was to try to cut back on her drinking and get ready for her appointments.

An Impatient High School Student Displays Numerous Alcohol-Related Difficulties, Gets Discharged From School, and Has to See the School Therapist

Dante was a fifteen year old high school sophomore who was manifesting a number of alcohol-related issues at school. For that reason, the principal informed him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school counselor, before he would be permitted to come back to school.

Later that day when Dante went home after school, he had to clarify his school situation to his parents. His Mom and Dad were “old school” and explained to Dante that getting thrown out of school was not a doable educational option. They informed Dante that failing to graduate from high school would more likely than not be like a lead weight around his feet that could quite possibly harm his educational attainment for the rest of his adult life. Moreover, Dante’s Mom and Dad were extremely dismayed that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his buddies in the second.

His Mother and Father informed Dante that even though he may be a teenager, he has to comprehend fairly promptly that drinking is the road to failure, pain, ill health, and financial problems.

It was evident that his Mom and Dad were absolutely in agreement with Dante’s principal and explained to Dante that he needs to see Miss Johnson, the school therapist. After his discussion with his Mom and Dad, Dante at last agreed to see Miss Johnson the next day. So Dante called the school and scheduled an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next day during his fifth period class.

The Therapist Asks Dante if He Comprehends Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Behavior Caused Quite a Bit of Apprehension By the School Administrators

When Dante got to his scheduled appointment with Miss Johnson, she instantaneously reviewed all of the alcohol-related problems Dante had experienced and asked him if he comprehended why his recent alcohol-related behavior was such a cause for concern.

Quite sincerely, Dante wondered why the principal explained to him that he had to see a school counselor. As he stated to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional psychologist about his drinking situation? Since virtually all of his buddies drink as much if not more than he does, fundamentally, drinking shouldn’t be such a big issue. Stated more precisely, if just about everybody is drinking, why is this such a major issue?

Miss Johnson asked Dante when he started to drink. He said that some of his older buddies introduced him to drinking hard liquor when he was twelve or thirteen years old and getting ready to enter junior high school.

Miss Johnson explained to Dante that while his classmates may indeed drink as much as he does and that they may be an unhealthy influence on him, the facts are that he is the one who is getting kicked out of school due to alcohol-related absenteeism, fighting, and delinquency, not his friends. Not only this but Miss Johnson also underscored the fact that Dante, and not his buddies, is the one who is failing and who is missing almost two days of class per week due to his alcohol related difficulties. Lastly, Miss Johnson emphasized the fact that because of his drinking behavior, Dante is getting into a harmful cycle of alcohol abuse that can in time ruin his hopes, dreams and aspirations.

In a word, Dante’s involvement with youth alcohol abuse was starting to impede his ability to act like a responsible young man. As put into words by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your pals drink wine coolers, hard liquor, beer, or wine does not mean that it is the best option for you.”

Dante Learns That At the End of the Day He Must Be Responsible For Himself In Order to Prevent Unhealthy, Destructive, Dangerous, and Damaging Consequences In the Future

Miss Johnson informed Dante that one’s buddies can definitely influence a person in an unhealthy way, but that the person herself or himself has to ultimately be accountable for herself or himself in order to keep away from destructive, unhealthy, dangerous, and damaging outcomes down the road.

Fortunately, Miss Johnson was quite organized for her appointment with Dante. She showed him research studies and reports she had highlighted that listed different drinking statistics and facts that applied to most people in general. Then she showed Dante a lot of information that applied especially to underage drinkers.

For example, Miss Johnson stressed the difference between alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse and told Dante that people who continue to drink in an excessive manner often become dependent on alcohol.

Miss Johnson also discussed the concept of binge drinking that she defined as follows: consuming five or more drinks in one sitting for males and drinking four or more drinks in one sitting for females.

The Counselor States Quite a Few Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse Statistics and Facts

Then Miss Johnson articulated various alcohol facts and the following eight alcohol abuse statistics:

1. The 25.9% of adolescent drinkers in the United States who are alcohol abusers and alcoholic drink 47.3% of the alcohol that is ingested by all teenage drinkers.

2. Fifty percent of U.S. homicides are related to alcohol.

3. In 2002, U.S. alcohol addiction facts and statistics revealed that 2.6 million binge drinkers were between the ages of 12 and 17.

4. It is projected that more than 3 million teens in the United States between the ages of 14 to 17 are alcoholic or alcohol abusers.

5. In the United States, more than 40 percent of those who start drinking at the age 14 or younger become alcohol dependent.

6. Very few of the more than 18 million U.S. alcohol abusers receive the alcohol treatment they require.

7. Teen drinking costs Americans nearly billion annually. If this cost were shared equally by each congressional district, the amount would total more than 0 million per district.

8. Alcohol-related problems are unevenly found among both juvenile and adult criminal offenders.

Dante Receives An Important Wake Up Call Regarding the Long Term and the Short Term Results of Teen Alcohol Dependency and Alcohol Abuse

After Miss Johnson articulated the aforementioned alcoholism and alcohol abuse facts and statistics, it was obvious that what Miss Johnson made known to Dante was a real source of revelation for him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only made the effort to articulate the long term and the short term effects of alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction, but she also made the effort to validate what she was saying with alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse facts and statistics that related to everyone in general, and chiefly to teenagers.

As a matter of fact, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante at once comprehended why he should not be engaging in excessive and hazardous drinking with or without his friends anymore. Dante thanked Miss Johnson for her concern and for the materials she discussed.

Miss Johnson then asked Dante how he felt about getting a physical examination and an alcohol assessment for the alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction rehabilitation he would probably need.

Dante thought about this for few minutes and then agreed to get an extensive physical and to go through a comprehensive assessment of his drinking condition so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction rehab program immediately.

The Important Components in A Fruitful Alcohol Addiction Intervention

What are the necessary components in a fruitful alcohol intervention? Why do some alcohol abuse interventions succeed as planned while several bomb?

The Need for a Distinguished Track Record of Intervention Success

Scientific investigation makes evident the fact that an effective alcohol addiction intervention needs to be managed by an intervention professional who has a time-honored track record of intervention attainment.

In essence this means that instead of opting for a “typical” addiction healthcare practitioner or psychotherapist for an alcohol dependency intervention, the individual who is decided upon to carry out the intervention needs to be trained in addiction intervention methods and needs to exhibit a record of fruitful addiction interventions.

A Few Essential Examples of The Most Productive Time For an Alcohol Intervention

Scientific inquiry and alcoholism facts about interventions has also shown that the most fruitful time for an alcoholism intervention is following a meaningful event in the life of the alcohol addicted individual or hazardous drinker. The following represents a few examples of these types of meaningful incidents:

• The alcohol dependent individual or abusive drinker has been caught stealing something of significance.
• The abusive drinker or alcohol addicted person has been caught lying about something of substance.
• The alcohol-dependent person or alcohol abuser has been confined for driving under the influence.

In situations such as these, the alcoholic or abusive drinker is more apt to feel sorry or to be embarrassed, therefore making him or her more open to getting the professional alcohol counseling that is required.

At this time, moreover, it is also important to underline the fact that the abusive drinker or alcohol addicted person needs to be free of alcohol during the alcohol dependency intervention. In brief, if the alcohol abuser or alcohol addicted individual is drunk during an alcohol dependency intervention, failure is virtually certain.

In the same way, scientific examination has also revealed the fact that the alcohol abuser or alcohol addicted individual has to at least try to listen to what is said in an alcohol abuse intervention. Stated more exactly, during an alcohol addiction intervention, the hazardous drinker or alcohol addicted individual needs to listen to what his or her problem drinking has done to those who care for him or her the most.

The Importance of Alcohol Therapy For the Hazardous Drinker

And finally, scientific inquiry reveals that the key reason for an alcohol addiction intervention in the first place is to persuade the abusive drinker or alcohol addicted individual to get the professional alcohol treatment he or she needs. Stated more clearly, even if the individual who directs the intervention has a splendid record of successful interventions and even if the abusive drinker or alcohol addicted person actually listens to every single word that is articulated during an intervention, if the alcohol abuser or alcohol-dependent person is not stimulated to request quality alcohol addiction counseling after the alcohol dependency intervention, then the intervention will be a fiasco.

Unmistakably all of these factors are needed for a productive alcohol intervention. If, nevertheless, the alcohol abuser or alcohol-dependent person is not encouraged to request alcohol addiction counseling after listening to his or her family members communicate the pain, irritation, and disenchantment they feel about the alcohol abuser’s or alcohol addicted individual’s excessive drinking behavior and the care they feel for the problem drinker, then every other aspect of the alcoholism intervention will fundamentally be meaningless.

Even Effective Alcoholism Interventions Can Go Wrong In the Future

It also needs to be emphasized that in spite of the fact that the alcohol addiction intervention can be identified as productive in that it helped put the hazardous drinker or alcohol addicted person in a more amenable framework and truly helped the alcohol-dependent person or abusive drinker deduce that he or she needed alcohol counseling or quality help for alcoholism or alcohol abuse, the plain fact that the intervention happened might result in bitterness, wrath, and distrust in the future.

Briefly, even when alcohol dependency interventions are seen as effective in the short term, in the long term, however, they may backfire and, therefore, might make the family and/or the alcohol abuser’s situation even worse than it was before the alcoholism intervention occurred.

No matter how unfair or ironic this seems, try to keep in mind that it is basically one of the key alcohol facts that has to be tackled when engaging in an alcohol intervention.

Enabling, Alcohol Relapse, and Alcohol Addiction

It is fascinating to articulate something that family members who have been unfavorably affected by the alcoholism of another family member clearly do not understand. It seems to be that by protecting the alcohol addicted person with untruths and deceit to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have in effect created a circumstance that makes it easier for the alcohol addicted person to persevere and move forward with his or her negative, detrimental way of living.

To be sure, instead of helping the alcohol addicted individual and themselves, these family members have basically become enablers who have involuntarily helped worsen the alcohol dependent individual’s drinking problem even more.

Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcohol addicted person will continue drinking in an excessive and irresponsible manner and suffer from different “alcohol side effects.” Some of these side effects include diminished mental functioning, deteriorating relationships, serious financial problems, legal issues (such as getting arrested for one or more DWIs), employment difficulties, and ill health.

Relapses Can and Do Happen

According to the research findings and statistics on alcohol addiction, another key alcoholism issue concerns alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol addicted individual has fruitfully gone through alcoholism therapy and then resorts to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first glance, this predicament seems contradictory to sound thinking and looks so implausible that it forces a person to wonder why anyone who has gone through the awfulness of alcoholism can return to drinking a short while after successful alcohol rehab and in turn after achieving recovery. There are, of course, many credible reasons for this.

It should be highlighted, nevertheless that alcohol addiction research that has centered on the enduring outcomes of alcohol addiction has shown that long after the alcohol addicted person has discontinued his or her drinking, major transformations in the way in which the alcohol dependent person’s brain works are still present. As a result, all a recovering alcohol dependent person has to do to involve himself or herself in behaviors that correspond with the transformations that have occurred in the brain is to start drinking once again.

The Need for A Drastic Lifestyle Modification

There are other reasons why quite a few recovering alcohol addicted individuals return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after attaining sobriety. According to the alcohol addiction research literature, to make an effective recovery, the alcohol dependent person needs new ways of reacting and thinking in order to deal more successfully with difficult alcohol-related situations that will take place.

Conditions such as returning to the same alcohol addictive environment or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the days when the alcohol dependent individual was drinking excessively; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these conditions can elicit memories that can trigger psychological stress or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol addicted individual to engage in excessive drinking once again. Sadly, all of these circumstances may not only work against lasting sobriety for the alcohol addicted person but they can also result in relapse and as a result work against one’s sobriety.

The Good News:  There’s Light at the End of the Tunnel

In an attempt to “protect” the family alcoholic, family members can essentially cause unintentional harm by enabling the unhealthy drinking behavior of the alcohol addicted person.

The drug abuse research literature highlights the fact that most individuals who effectively complete alcohol therapy experience at least one relapse. Alcoholics and their family members need to know this so that they do not get depressed or stressed out when a relapse takes place.

Happily, involvement in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up rehab and education have resulted in more productive, lasting alcohol abuse and alcoholism treatment results, have helped diminish alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol addicted persons reach long standing alcohol recovery.

What I Learned About Drug Addiction and Alcohol Dependency in High School

When I was a sophomore in high school, I registered for a substance abuse class. At that age, I did not grasp the fact that alcohol abuse actually was a sub division of drug abuse. While taking this class and learning more about drug and alcohol abuse and particularly about alcohol side effects, I read a lot about Alcoholic Anonymous, their meetings, how their programs have twelve steps, and how successful the Alcoholics Anonymous recovery program has been for individuals throughout the world. I also learned a lot about alcohol rehab and the various alcohol rehab clinics that are usually available to alcohol abusers.

Injurious Outcomes That are Correlated With Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse

Some of the detrimental results associated with alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class certainly alarmed me. The ruined lives and countless serious issues experienced by most alcohol addicted people made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. Stated briefly, I did not want to face the damage and ruination that alcohol dependent individuals almost always experience.

Reflect on this for a moment. What fifteen-year-old individual wants to face premature death due to his or her drinking behavior? What adolescent wants to become so out-of-control regarding his or her drinking that drinking alcohol becomes the object of one’s life? What teen wants to go to one of the local alcoholic rehabilitation centers to deal with alcohol-related problems before he or she becomes twenty-one?

What young person wants to go through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when he or she tries to stop drinking? Why would a person engage in drinking to such an extent that it would cause difficulties in every area of his or her life? Drinking later in life after an individual has a career, a family, and develops personal responsibilities makes sense. But why would an adolescent want to sacrifice his or her education, employment, finances, and relationships for a life that focuses on hazardous drinking?

These issues were so important that I discussed some of them in class throughout the school year. What was entirely astonishing to me was the number of students who openly didn’t care about the injurious results of hazardous drinking that I discussed. It was almost as if they couldn’t be bothered with reality and how these outcomes can demolish their lives. For the first time in my life I started to grasp a saying that my grandfather used to articulate all through my teen and pre-teen years: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.

It’s Beneficial, Important, and Energizing to Keep Yourself From the Unhealthy and Destructive Results of Drug and Alcohol Abuse

And even at my young age, I also started to understand how important, liberating, and beneficial it is in life to keep away from the unhealthy and destructive end results of alcohol and drug abuse.

An Impulsive High School Student Displays Numerous Alcohol-Related Difficulties, Gets Expelled From School, and Has to See the School Therapist

Dante was a sixteen year old high school junior who was displaying more than a few alcohol-related problems at school. Consequently, the principal informed him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school counselor, before he would be permitted to return to class.

Later that day when Dante went home after school, he had to explain his school situation to his parents. His Mother and Father were “relatively traditional” and told Dante that getting thrown out of school was not a satisfactory educational game plan. They explained to Dante that failing to graduate from high school would likely be like a lead weight around his feet that could probably hurt his educational achievement for the rest of his life. What is more, Dante’s parents were extremely upset that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his peers in the second.

His Mom and Dad informed Dante that although he may be an adolescent, he has to realize rather quickly that drinking is the pathway to pain, ill health, failure, and financial problems.

It was obvious that his Mother and Father were completely in agreement with Dante’s principal and informed Dante that he had better come to the realization that he needs to see Miss Johnson, the school psychologist. After his conversation with his Mom and Dad, Dante in due course agreed to see Miss Johnson the next day. So Dante phoned the school and made an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next day during lunch.

The Psychologist Asks Dante if He Understands Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Behavior Caused Quite a Bit of Apprehension By the School Administrators

When Dante got to his scheduled appointment with Miss Johnson, she promptly analyzed all of the alcohol-related problems Dante had experienced and asked him if he understood why his recent alcohol-related behavior caused quite a bit of apprehension by the school administrators.

Quite truthfully, Dante was unsure why the principal told him he had to see a school therapist. As he stated to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional psychologist about his drinking circumstances? In view of the fact that virtually all of his friends drink the same amount that he does, primarily, drinking shouldn’t be such a big thing. Stated another way, if just about everybody is drinking, why is this such a big thing?

Miss Johnson asked Dante when he started to drink. He said that some of his older buddies introduced him to drinking hard liquor when he was twelve or thirteen years old and in the seventh grade.

Miss Johnson explained to Dante that while his classmates may in fact drink as much as he does and that they may be a negative influence on him, the facts are that he is the one who is getting suspended from school due to alcohol-related absenteeism, fighting, and delinquency, not his peers. Moreover, Miss Johnson also underscored the fact that Dante, and not his buddies, is the one who is failing and who is missing almost two days of school every week due to his alcohol related issues. Finally, Miss Johnson emphasized the fact that because of his drinking situation, Dante is getting into a destructive cycle of hazardous drinking that can in due course wreck his dreams, hopes, and aspirations.

In short, Dante’s involvement with youth alcohol abuse was beginning to thwart his ability to behave like an accountable young man. As conveyed by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your friends drink hard liquor, wine coolers, beer, or wine does not mean that it is the right thing to do for you.”

Dante Learns That In Due Course He Must Take Responsibility For Himself In Order to Steer Clear of Dangerous, Damaging, Destructive, and Unhealthy Circumstances Down the Road

Miss Johnson informed Dante that one’s peers can undeniably influence a person in an unhealthy manner, but that the individual himself or herself has to in the end claim responsibility for herself or himself in order to stay away from dangerous, destructive, unhealthy, and damaging consequences in the future.

Luckily, Miss Johnson was well prepared for her discussion with Dante. She showed him research studies and reports she had underlined that summarized diverse drinking statistics and facts that targeted most people in general. Then she showed Dante a lot of information that applied principally to adolescents.

As an illustration, Miss Johnson underscored the difference between alcoholism and alcohol abuse and told Dante that drinkers who continue to drink abusively habitually become alcohol dependent.

Miss Johnson also went over the concept of binge drinking which she defined as follows: consuming four or more drinks in one sitting for females and drinking five or more drinks in one sitting for males.

The Therapist States More Than a Few Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency Facts and Statistics

Then Miss Johnson verbalized various alcohol facts and the following eight alcohol abuse statistics:

1. Alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse cost the U.S. an estimated 0 billion in 2005. This dollar amount was more than the cost related to obesity (3 billion) or with cancer (6 billion).

2. More than one-half of American adults have a close relative or family member that has or has had alcoholism.

3. More than seventy-five percent of female victims of nonfatal, domestic violence reported that their assailant had been drinking or using drugs.

4. In the United States on a yearly basis, more than 33% of pedestrians killed by autos were legally drunk.

5. One national survey uncovered the fact that students are less likely to use alcohol if they are socially accepted by individuals at school and feel that teachers treat students in a fair manner.

6. Research reveals that adolescents who use alcohol may remember 10 percent less of what they have learned than youth who don’t drink.

7. Approximately ten to twenty percent of the individuals who drink abusively in time develop cirrhosis of the liver (i.e., a scarring of the liver that can be fatal).

8. Up to forty percent of the U.S. industrial deaths and forty-seven percent of industrial injuries are linked to alcohol dependency or alcohol abuse.

Dante Receives A Meaningful Wake Up Call About the Short Term and the Long Term Consequences of Underage Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction

After Miss Johnson conveyed the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency statistics and facts, it was clear that what Miss Johnson taught Dante was a real bombshell to him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only took the time to give an explanation of the long term and the short term outcomes of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency, but she also took the time to confirm what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcoholism facts and statistics that related to people in general, and mainly to adolescents.

Without a doubt, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante without pause realized why he should not be engaging in hazardous and excessive drinking with or without his classmates any longer. Dante thanked Miss Johnson for her concern and for the information she reviewed.

Miss Johnson then asked Dante how he felt about getting a physical exam and an alcohol appraisal for the alcohol abuse or alcoholism treatment he would probably need.

Dante thought about this for a minute and then agreed to get a comprehensive physical and to go through a comprehensive appraisal of his drinking condition so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction treatment program without pause.

The Key Elements in A Productive Alcoholism Intervention

What are the basic elements in a fruitful alcohol intervention? Why do some alcoholism interventions succeed as expected while others bomb?

The Necessity for a Recognized Reputation of Intervention Achievement

Scientific investigation shows that a successful alcohol dependency intervention needs to be directed by an intervention specialist who has a proven history of intervention attainment.

In effect this means that instead of selecting a “normal” addiction healthcare professional or psychologist for an alcohol addiction intervention, the person who is chosen to direct the intervention needs to be trained in addiction intervention procedures and needs to possess a record of fruitful alcohol interventions.

A Few Fundamental Examples of The Best Time For an Alcohol Abuse Intervention

Scientific examination and alcoholism facts about interventions has also demonstrated that the most favorable time for an alcoholism intervention is following a meaningful incident in the life of the alcohol dependent individual or alcohol abuser. The following represents a few illustrations of these types of noteworthy occasions:

• The alcohol addicted individual or abusive drinker has been caught stealing something of worth.
• The abusive drinker or alcoholic has been caught lying about something of import.
• The alcohol-dependent person or alcohol abuser has been imprisoned for a DUI or DWI.

In situations like these, the alcohol dependent individual or abusive drinker is more likely to feel contrite or to feel ashamed, thusly making him or her more amenable to getting the professional alcohol therapy that he or she requires.

At this point in time, moreover, it is also essential to call attention to the fact that the abusive drinker or alcohol-dependent person needs to be free of alcohol during the alcoholism intervention. Briefly, if the abusive drinker or alcohol addicted person is drunk during an alcohol addiction intervention, failure is in effect certain.

Furthermore, scientific investigation has also revealed the fact that the alcohol abuser or alcoholic has to at least try to listen to what is communicated in an alcohol abuse intervention. Stated more explicitly, during an alcoholism intervention, the hazardous drinker or alcohol-dependent person needs to listen to what his or her drinking problems have done to those who care for him or her the most.

The Critical Nature of Alcohol Rehab For the Problem Drinker

And finally, scientific study reveals that the key reason for an alcohol abuse intervention in the first place is to influence the alcohol abuser or alcohol-dependent person to get the professional alcoholism counseling that is required. Stated differently, even if the individual who directs the intervention has a wonderful track record of productive interventions and even if the hazardous drinker or alcohol-dependent person in all honesty listens to every word that is said during an intervention, if the abusive drinker or alcohol-dependent person is not encouraged to obtain professional alcohol addiction rehabilitation after the alcoholism intervention, then the intervention will be a flop.

Apparently all of these factors are needed for an effective alcohol addiction intervention. If, alternatively, the hazardous drinker or alcohol dependent individual is not inspired to get alcoholism treatment after listening to his or her family members communicate the grief, irritation, and dissatisfaction they feel about the hazardous drinker’s or alcohol dependent person’s hazardous drinking behavior and the care they feel for the problem drinker, then every other aspect of the alcohol addiction intervention will more or less be insignificant.

Even Successful Alcohol Abuse Interventions Can Backfire Down the Road

It also needs to be highlighted that in spite of the fact that the alcohol dependency intervention can be perceived as successful in that it helped put the abusive drinker or alcohol dependent individual in a more “open” framework and honestly helped the alcohol-dependent person or alcohol abuser decide that he or she needed alcohol rehab or quality help for alcoholism or alcohol abuse, the plain reality that the intervention occurred may lead to resentment, irritation, and uncertainty in the future.

When all’s said and done, even when alcohol addiction interventions are seen as fruitful in the short run, in the long term, then again, they may boomerang and, as a consequence, might make the family and/or the alcohol dependent person’s situation even worse than it was before the alcohol addiction intervention was undertaken.

No matter how unjust or paradoxical this seems, try to keep in mind that it is essentially one of the key alcohol facts that has to be tackled when doing an alcohol intervention.

When Irresponsible and Abusive Drinking Leads to Serious Health Problems

For more than a few years alcohol addiction research has demonstrated the fact that there is strong linkage between alcohol dependency and dangerous health conditions.

For instance, in 2005, medical exploration and alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics showed that alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction cost the United States an estimated $220 billion annually. It can be emphasized that this massive alcohol-related cash disbursement was significantly more than the cost linked with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion). While it is important to emphasize these facts, it is also important to highlight the fact that an interrelationship exists between all three of these health conditions.

More correctly, chronic alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction are also highly correlated with obesity and with cancer.

To be sure, substance abuse examination has shown that alcohol addiction can amplify the risk for various forms of cancer, especially cancer of the voice box (larynx), esophagus, liver, rectum, colon, kidneys, and throat. Hazardous and repetitive drinking can also result in immune system issues and damage to the fetus during pregnancy.

Abusive Drinking Weakens the Problem Drinker’s Systems and Organs

Additionally, if alcoholism continues over a period of years, the individual’s body organs will probably be affected in an unsafe manner. As an illustration, long-term, abusive drinking is especially harmful to the liver due to the fact that the liver does most of the work of processing the alcohol that has been ingested. Excessive amounts of alcohol kills liver cells and eradicates the ability of liver cells to reproduce. This medical condition results in a progressive inflammatory disease of the liver that can at the end of the day lead to cirrhosis of the liver, a serious and possibly lethal medical problem.Heavy, long-term drinking not only can result in serious liver damage, but it can also lead to damage to the heart and to the brain. Physical damage this critical may be irreparable and may, in turn, result in severe illness or premature death.

The Significance of Alcohol Rehabilitation

It is critical, as a result, to know how to identify the various alcoholism symptoms and the “alcohol signs” so that the alcohol dependent person can be given the opportunity to get the professional alcohol counseling he or she requires.

Alcohol Addiction and Sophisticated Brain Research

Fortunately, medical investigation is persistently generating original and important information. Recent alcoholism research provides a good illustration. Stated differently, for roughly the last ten years, sophisticated brain-imaging scanning devices have verified that repetitive and recurring irresponsible drinking transforms the functionality of the brain to a great extent, as a consequence resulting in brain disease that can last months, years, or perchance as long as the individual lives.

More exactly, medical exploration has revealed that people who have been drinking in an irresponsible manner for a substantial length of time increase their risk for developing permanent and severe adaptations in the brain.

This type of damage may be indirectly associated with the drinker’s poor overall health or directly related to the alcohol’s effects on the brain or to severe liver disease.

Hazardous Drinking, Malnutrition, and Mental Disorders

As a final illustration of different medical conditions that are largely correlated to alcohol addiction, consider that according to scientific research, the abusive and repeated abuse of alcohol can lead to erosive gastritis, a medical problem that decreases the absorption of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

This type of organ breakdown is linked to malnutrition and to an assortment of acute mental and neurological syndromes including sleep disturbances, memory loss, and psychosis such as Wernicke’s Encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome. This latter medical condition is a long lasting incapacitating medical condition that is characterized by repetitive learning and memory difficulties.

Summary

It is apparent that repetitive, excessive drinking is directly or indirectly associated with a variety of severe medical problems that can and do result in serious ailments and premature death. Such information needs to be emphasized and presented to everyone in our society so that a massive amount of people will be able to refrain from hazardous drinking while other individuals who have a drinking problem will get the professional therapy they require.

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